Embrace the suck. It was something a friend of mine from high school used to say. Her dad had been career military and had all sorts of sayings. I didn’t know if that saying had anything to do with the military or not, but it fit this situation, because it definitely sucked.
After knocking on Rob’s door until my knuckles were numb and throbbing, I whipped out my phone to text him, frowning when the screen didn’t light up. Dammit, it was dead. I tucked it away and knocked again. He didn’t answer. Maybe he was still out on the call, which wouldn’t make much sense since we’d found Stace. He could be helping clean the scene for brownie points with the Council.
I needed to tell someone what I’d learned. About Alec being alive. About Spencer being dark and partnering up with him. About how Julie was working through Spencer to get to her sister. This was major news. Someone needed to know, someone with a connection to the Council. I couldn’t go to Jess and tell her that her boyfriend was dark and then ask to use her phone to call her aunt. Not only would she refuse to believe me, she’d also refuse to let me use her phone. Who’d that leave?
Ah crap.
When it clicked, I cringed at the twatty solution. There was one other person. As much as I didn’t ever want to step foot in that dorm again, let alone talk to the occupant of that room, let alone talk to the father of said occupant, I had no choice. She had a direct link to the Council through her dad, and I needed to tell the Council what I knew.
Resolving myself to the task, I set out, leaving Ignis and crossing the grass to Aquae. I slowed as I walked inside the building. It still smelled the same, like wet cardboard and loneliness. The same ugly watercolors graced the walls of the commons. Students stared at me as I walked through the main room and took the elevator to the top floor.
I half wanted her to be gone so I didn’t have to see her again. I don’t know how we’d managed to successfully avoid each other since school started, but I’d definitely enjoyed the peace. I heard faint giggles and a male voice from the other side of the door. Oh, darn. Looked like I was interrupting something.
Knocking on the door, I waited. The voices fell silent.
“Who is it?” her shrill voice sounded, peppering my skin with uncomfortable chills. Like nails on a chalkboard, man. I knocked again, knowing if I announced who it was, she’d never answer the door. “I said, who—” She stopped abruptly as she threw open the door. When she spotted me, she narrowed the opening so only her head poked out and whispered viciously, “What do you want?”
I was surprised she didn’t call me new girl, her favorite pet name for me. “Hiya, Ness.” I didn’t have to be inside the room to know how it looked. Same four-poster bed. Same ridiculous amount of pink. Same boy bands on every wall. Her male visitor must love all that competition staring back at him.
Her eyes seemed a bit bluer this year, her raven locks a bit longer. I hated her beauty. Someone who looked like her shouldn’t be so ugly on the inside. It was grossly unfair to those of us of average looks, regardless of whether we were pretty on the inside. Or, at least less ugly than her.
“I have a favor to ask.” I just came right out with it so as not to share the same airspace for very long. Being around Vanessa Graves tended to put me in a very bad mood. Considering how I’d been reacting to bad moods lately, it wouldn’t be good if we spent much time together.
She glanced behind her, no doubt to address the guy in the room, then stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind her.
“Why would I do anything for you?” She crossed her arms and jutted out a hip, her standard pose whenever she addressed me.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because I saved your life.”
She thrust out her chin and looked away. “I’m listening.”
“I need to reach your dad.”
“My dad?” She uncrossed her arms as she looked at me, clearly not expecting that. “Why? Does this have anything to do with Professor Layden getting attacked?”
“Yes.” And it did. Well, sort of, anyway. Maybe if she thought she’d be helping Stace instead of doing me a favor, she just might do it.
She pulled out her phone and held it up. When I reached for it, she stepped out of my range. “Tell me why.”
“I can’t. It’s, um…official Council business.”
“You’re not in the Council.”
“As the prophecy, I’m an honorary member.” I hoped she bought all the lies falling from my lips.
“Since when?”
“Vanessa, please.” God, that hurt to say. With a long-drawn-out sigh, she tapped the screen before handing the phone to me.
“Now’s not a good time, princess.” Virgil Graves seemed even more abrupt than usual as he answered. “I’m in the middle of something.”
“Does it have anything to do with Stacey Layden being attacked and left for dead in a tree?”
“How did you…? Who is this?” He did not sound happy. I could relate. If I had a daughter like Vanessa, I’d dread her calls too.
“Katy Reed. You know, aka the prophecy.”
“Ms. Reed,” he stated in an even harder tone. “Why are you calling from Vanessa’s phone?”
“I
